RIALTO CHATTER: Piven's Plea, 'Be Nice To Me'

Former Speed-The-Plow star and mercury poisoning victim Jeremy Piven hit the red carpet at Sunday night's Golden Globe Awards, and was vocal regarding his bailing on Broadway scandal.

In an exchange with The New York Daily News' GATECRASHER gossip column, Piven continued his tale of medicial woe, but seems to have bounced back to full 'Hollywood' level health. The robust and chatty 'Entourage' star explained his ailment as such, "What people don't really know is that it's a real illness and I am not a doctor, so I cannot identify specifically what brought me down".

He seemed proud of his time-stunted stay on the Great White Way, describing it as, "It was an honor to be on Broadway, and what I'll take from that is all those great performances that we had".

He finished his chat with the News' GATECRASHER team with a nervous, "Be nice to me."

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Jeremy Piven claimed he was way too sick with "mercury poisoning" to show up for his Broadway show and abruptly left the production under a cloud of questions and mystery.

In a Dec. 18 statement the play's producers gave a statement regarding the Piven exit, "We have been advised by Jeremy Piven's medical representatives that he is seriously ill and is unable to fulfill his contractual obligation to Speed-the-Plow. Consequently, he has left the production ten weeks early."

Piven was scheduled to perform throughout the show's run, which is scheduled to run until Feb. 22nd.

Tony Award winner Norbert Leo Butz stepped into the role of Bobby Gould on Dec. 23rd at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, he has since left and Emmy winner William H. Macy assumes the role tonight, January 13th.

The cast of Speed-The-Plow by David Mamet also features three-time Tony-nominee Raúl Esparza (The Homecoming, Company) and Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men). Neil Pepe (David Mamet's Romance, Ethan Coen's Almost an Evening) directs.

The show is playing at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre (located at 243 West 47th St.). Tickets are sold through Telecharge.com or 212-239-6200.

Photo by Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.